James Harleman's Blog, page 11
February 11, 2014
FROZEN’s Water Part 1: It’s a GAS!
“Oh, look at that. I’ve been impaled.” When the first previews came out for Frozen, I confess: it didn’t impress me. It looked more like a silly Ice Age sort of movie, which may be funny in its own right but not on it’s way to being the next Disney epic. I blame the marketing […]
January 21, 2014
LONE SURVIVOR’s Best Kept Secret
“If I die I need you to make sure that Cindy knows how much I love her… And that I died with my brothers – with a full f—ing heart.” In Sleepless in Seattle, the guys have a humorous scene where they talk about how – unlike women and their tear-jerking romantic comedies – men […]
January 19, 2014
Film and Apologetics? Or: What We’re All About
I was recently asked to speak at an apologetics conference in Alabama, and my first thought was “why”? I talk about movies and God as storyteller. After some thought, I realize that another way of looking at Cinemagogue is that, in many ways, how we examine cinema often takes a slice of the teleological argument […]
January 14, 2014
CATCHING FIRE Like Katniss Everdeen
“He could have killed me, but instead he showed me mercy. That’s a debt I’ll never be able to repay.” The Hunger Games trilogy is not the story of a hero. Katniss Everdeen mentions in the first act that Thresh’s act of kindness was one of several things that enabled her to win in the […]
December 17, 2013
Voices, CARRIE
- a review by James Harleman “We have become a taunt to our neighbors, mocked and derided by those around us. How long, O Lord? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire?” – Psalm 79:4-5 Reviewer Ben McEachen already shared some great thoughts in his review of the 2013 version of […]
December 8, 2013
CARRIE Over
review by Australian extraordinaire Ben McEachen “Carrie had some sort of power. But she was just like me… like any of you, she had hopes, she had fears, but we pushed her. And you can only push someone so far before they break.” Go ahead. Groan. Roll your eyes. Sneer. Feel better now? You’ve made […]
December 6, 2013
MAN of Struggles, Son of STEEL
Albeit a polarizing film for many, Man of Steel remains one of my favorite blockbusters of 2013. No, I don’t think the fight went on too long at the end… it’s the length I wanted this Superman/Darkseid fight to go on for in thefantastic, classic seriesJustice League Unlimited. (seriously, this scene is similar in many […]
December 4, 2013
Tigers, Elephants, & A Slice of PI
by guest reviewer Andrew Thompson The Life of Pi is a stunning tale that takes us into the story of a young man adrift at sea with a Bengal tiger. It’s not only a tale of survival, but a deeply spiritual story of the narrator’s faith through troubled waters. It’s easy to dismiss this film […]
December 3, 2013
THOR 2, Marvel Musings, and Moonlighting
I planned to do a review of Thor: The Dark World (and will) but was asked to be part of a podcast over at Reel World Theology with my friend Mikey Fissel. What ensues runs the gamut from Thor to Iron Man, views of adapting comic properties, to the changing views of father between films […]
November 21, 2013
Experiencing PARANOIA with Liam Hemsworth
Paranoia debuted on Blu-ray and DVD this week, as well as a variety of other formats. While not the sharpest thriller tool in the cinematic toolshed, the rivalry between characters Goddard and Wyatt – played by veterans Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman – still make this movie worth a view now that it’s moved beyond […]
